September 13, Pozirk. Judge Michaił Makarevič has sentenced prominent historian Ihar Mielnikaŭ to four years in prison over an interview he had given to Euroradio in Poland a few months before Belarus designated the media outlet an extremist group.
The defendant, accused of facilitating extremism, pleaded guilty, the Minsk Prosecutor’s Office reported.
The historian was arrested earlier this year over his January 2022 interview about his research and exhibition in Warsaw.
Belarusian prosecutors charged that it helped promote “extremist activities” among larger audiences despite the fact that the interior ministry blacklisted Euroradio as an extremist group only in July 2022.
Mielnikaŭ, 44, specializes in the modern military history of Belarus. He earned his doctoral degree from Belarusian State University in 2011.
A few weeks ago, Belarusian authorities branded three of his books extremist content.
Rights groups consider his persecution to be politically motivated.
